Headboard for asparagus pack



March 26, 1940. L. SARTINI HEADBOAR'D FOR ASPARAGUS PACK Filed May 27,1939 INVENTOR L.Sa1'Z 1uL BY I ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITEstars rarest OFFICE This invention relates in general to an improvementin the equipment used in connection with the packing of fresh asparagusin crates for shipment. to market, and in particular the invention isdirected to an improved headboard of the type used in loose packing ofasparagus in crates.

The usual crates into which the asparagus is packed are of thefpyramidbtype, that is, are is taper sided. These crates are initiallyconstructed without the slats on one side and the bottom but with theslats on the other side and top.

For packing, the crates are supported on a itjframe with the open sideuppermost and with the top slats at a backward slope from their thenlower edges.

Before the stalks of asparagus are placed in the crate, a flat headboardof substantial thick- 20 ness is inserted into the crate parallel withand resting against the top slats; such headboard being somewhat widerthan the top of the crate and having a transverse slot into which theusual central partition of the crate engages. In other words, theheadboard straddles the central partition and forms a stop for the tipsof the asparagus stalks as will hereinafter appear.

After the headboard is in place, the stalks of asparagus are packed intothe crate with the tips touching the headboard and the butt endsextending out of the open bottom of the crate. The stalks, while heldunder a certain compression from the open side of the crate, are thensheared or cut off flush with the bottom of the crate.

tom and side slats are fixed on the crate. Finally the headboard iswithdrawn and this often snaps off the tips of some of the stalks,impairing the appearance of the pack. The headboardsas now a in use areof a thickness to occupy all the space between the tips of the stalksand the top slats, and thus the board cannot be moved free of the tipsbefore being withdrawn.

It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide animproved headboardfor use in connection with the packing of asparagus incrates; such headboard being arranged so that it may be shifted awayfrom the asparagus Thereafter, the initially omitted bot' projecting ateach end, as at 4, beyond the ends to a position projecting from theboard and in order to locate the tip engaging face of the board theproper distance from the top slats, as, is now accomplished by the useof a relatively thick headboard; such elements having stop means 5associated therewith to prevent swinging movement of the elements beyondthe desired projecting position when swung out from a folded position.

A further object of the invention is to produce l0 a simple andinexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective forthe purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the-several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved 2o headboard.

Figure 2 is an enlarged end view of the device as positioned in a crateduring packing of the latter.

. Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan of the device in a crate andillustrating one hinged spacing strip in projecting position and theother strip infolded position.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawing, my improved headboard comprises a rectangular panel I ofrelatively thin but rigid material such as Masonite; said panel I havinga transverse slot 2 centrally of its ends and cut up from its loweredgeto a point adjacent but short of the upper edge of the panel. r

A rigid, longitudinal strip 3, preferably of metal, is secured on theback of the panel adjacent and parallel tothe upper edge of the paneland above the upper end of slot 2; the strip 3 of the panel.

A pair of rigid transverse strips 5, also preferably of metal, arehinged, by means of spaced hinges 6, on the back of panel I in spacedrelation and each disposed centrally between one end of the panel andslot 2. The strips are hinged for swinging movement from a foldedposition to an edgewise and projecting position at right angles thereto.Hinge mounting bolts 1 are secured on the panel and strips by nuts la,and are of a length beyond the nuts and are positioned so thatcorresponding ones through the panel and strips will engage each otherand form a stop when the strips are swung to a projecting right angleposition as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

In use, the panel is slipped into the crate 8 from the open side andwith the central partition 9 of the crate engaging in or being straddledby the slot 2; the panel being disposed adjacent the top slats Ill ofthe crate. The ends 4 of strip 3 rest on the edges of the crate ends II,and the strips are in projecting position and rest against the innersurface of top slats lo, and when the strips are so positioned, theworking or tip engaging face of panel I is disposed the proper distancefrom said top slats.

After the crate is packed, as previously described, the strips arefolded back close to the back of the panel I and said panel is thenshifted away from the asparagus tips and toward the top slats Hi. Whenclear of the tips, the panel is withdrawn and without possibility ofbreaking the tips as now frequently occurs.

The strips 5 project some distance above the upper edge of the panel inorder to facilitate folding of such strips, and which are also notched,as shown, in the edge adjacent longitudinal strip 3 whereby to permitthe strips 5 to fold toward the panel without binding.

In order to facilitate such folding of strips 5, they are preferablyprovided at their upper end with rearwardly projecting handles l2.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A removable headboard for a packing crate comprising a panel adaptedto engage in a crate in face to face relation with and adjacent the topthereof, a panel locating element adapted to project from the panel andengage the crate top, and means mounting said element on the panel formovement from a projecting position to a position with the element clearof the crate top whereby the panel may shift toward said crate top; saidlast named means comprising a hinge.

2. A device as in claim 1; there being means associated with said hingeto limit swinging movement of the element beyond a predetermined position.

3. A removable headboard for a packing crate comprising a panel adaptedto engage in a crate in face to face relation with and adjacent the topthereof, a rigid strip extending across the face of the panel adjacentthe crate top, and means mounting the strip on the panel for movementfrom a position projecting edgewise from the panel to a substantiallyfolded position with the panel.

4. A removable headboard for a packing crate comprising a panel adaptedto engage in a crate in face to face relation with and adjacent the topthereof, a rigid strip extending across the face of the panel adjacentthe crate top, and a hinge mounting the strip on the panel for swingmovement to and from a position projecting edge- Wise from the panel.

5. A device as in claim 4 in which the hinge is secured on the panel andstrip by nuts and bolts; the bolts being of such length and so positioned as to engage each other and limit such swinging movement of thestrip beyond a predetermined point.

6. A removable headboard for an asparagus packing crate, comprising arelatively thin rectangular but elongated panel having a transverse slotcut therein from one edge centrally between the ends of the panel, saidslot extending to a point adjacent but short of the other edge of thepanel, a rigid longitudinal strip secured on the panel adjacent andparallel to said other edge, said strip overhanging the panel ends, apair of rigid transverse strips disposed one on each side of the slot,hinges for said strips, and means securing the hinges on the panel andstrips and whereby the strips may swing from an edgewise positionprojecting from the panel to a substantially folded position relativethereto.

LOUIS SARTINI.

